Display device



March 24, 1953 E, NlGG 2,632,271

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed March 16, 1949 Para! 4+ Arrivals (h'caya fo Petroli Patented Mar. 24,l 1953 treo stars DISPLAY DEVICE Erwin Nigg, Earn, Switzerland, assignor to Ernest F. Gygax, St. Louis, Mo.

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display devices. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in display devices which utilize replaceable indicia-bearing plates.

lt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved display device which utilizes replaceable indicia-bearing plates.

In many businesses it would be desirable to be able to post helpful information in neat and attractive fashion where it could be readily reviewed by interested persons, and to be able to change that information from time to time. For example, it would be desirable in the railroad business to be able to neatly and attractively 'post the scheduled times oi arrival and departure of trains coming from and going to various cities and towns, and to be able to change the posting of those times as the schedules are revised. Similarly, it would be desirable in the airline, bus line, and shipping businesses to be able to neatly and attractively post the scheduled times oi arrival and departure of planes, busses, and ships coming from and going to various cities and towns, and to be able to change 'the posting of those times as the schedules are revised. It would also be desirable, in cafeteras, diners, and other eating places to be able to neatly and attractively post the names of available items and the current prices of those items, and to be able to change the names and prices from time to time. In grocery, liquor, and other stores too it would be desirable to neatly and attractively post the names and prices or" avail- :able items, and to be able to change those names :and prices. Again, it would be desirable to be :able to neatly and attractively list the names and room numbers of tenants in a building, and to be able -to change those names and numbers .from time to time.

In many'instan'ces attempts have been made vto eiect neat and attractive posting oi' information in such a way as to permit ready changing of that information, but those attempts have not been completely satisfactory. For example, cut-out letters and numerals have been provided with rearwardly extending projections that could be pressed into slots between resilient cushions on a supportingpanel. Even if the letters and numerals did not become bent, did not tall out of position, or did not tilt forwardly or to the side, those letters and numerals would be hard to read because. of the eilect which the slots behind thoseletters and numerals would have upon the vision ci the viewer. When hcwever., -the letters 'or vnumerals became bent, fell out of position, or tilted forwardly or to one side, as they did all too frequently, the effect of the display was seriously impaired. This impairment makes the use of such display devices objectionable. The present invention obviates this objection by providing a display device with spaced guides that receive and hold a number of indicia-bearing plates. The guides will closely confine all of the indicia-bearing plates within the same plane and will keep those plates from tilting or falling out of position. It is therefore an object oi the present invention to provide a display device with spaced guides that receive and hold a number of indicia-bearing plates within the same plane.

In some instances letters, numerals and other indicia have been imprinted upon sheets otcardboard and those sheets inserted behind and held by spaced guide strips. The sheets of cardboard were inserted behind the guide strips either by flexing the sheets and inserting first the top edge and then the bottom edge behind those strips, or by aligning the sheets with the guide strips while holding those sheets Vat one side of the strips and then telescoping the top and bottom edges of those sheets behind those strips. Where the sheets were flexed while being inserted behind the guide strips, they sometimes flexed and fell out of position; and where the sheets were telescoped behind the guides, the replacement of one sheet entailed the removal and replacement of all the sheets between that one sheet and the ends of the guide strips. Similarly, where individual letters and numerals have been telescoped into position behind spaced guide strips, the replacement ci one of those letters or numerals required the removal and replacement o all letters and numerals between the replaced letter or numeral and the ends of the guides. rllhis need or removing and. replacing a large numberor" cardboard sheets or individual letters and numerals just to remove, replace, or add an individual letter or numeral makes the use of such display devices objectionable since it requires excessive expenditures of-tir'ne in making the changes and it makes the loss or bending of some of the sheets, letters, or numerals almost a certainty. The present invention obviates these objections by providing a display device which has indicia-bearing plates that can be removably inserted 'between guides without necessitating the removal of all plates between that plate and the ends of the guides. The present invention does this by cutting away the" corners of the indicia-bearing plates; thus enabling those plates to be rotated in their own planes until their tops and bottoms are freed from the guides. Some space will be needed at the sides of a plate for that plate to rotate, but that space is quite small; and it is easily provided by temporarily removing one or two spacers or indicia-bearing plates from the guides and then shifting the remaining plates away from that plate which is to be replaced. Once that particular plate has been replaced the other plates can be moved into close engagement with each other, and thenV Y temporarily removed spacers or plates can be replaced. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a display device which has spaced guides and has indicia-bearing plates with cut-away corners.

'I'he cutting away of the corners of the indiciabearing plates will be done in such a way that those cut-away corners will be overlain and concealed by the guide strips when those plates i are in normal position. As a result, the display device will have a neat and attractive appearance and yet the indicia-bearing plates can easily be removed and replaced. It is therefore an object of the present invention to cut away the corners of the indicia-bearing plates, for a display device, in such a Way that the plates can be rotated into and out of holding engagement with spaced guides and so the cut-away corners of the plates will be overlain and concealed by the guides.

The spaced guides of the present invention are removably secured to the supporting structure of the display device. By being removable, those guides can be set at different positions on the displaydevice to accommodate indicia-bearing plates of different sizes.

enables it to satisfy the needs of many different businesses. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a display device with removable guides that can be set at different places on the supporting structure of the display device to support plates of different sizes.

The display device of the present invention is provided with removable side frames; and those side frames engage the indicia-bearing plates and the guides of the display device and hold them in assembled relation with that device. However, separation of those side frames from the display device is easily effected, and it permits ready removal of those plates and guides from the display device. In this way, the side frames maintain the integrity of the display device while permitting removal and replacement of the plates and guides. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a display device with side frames that releasably engage and hold the plates andguides. Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the purposes of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a display device that is made in accordance with the prin ciples and teachings ofthe present invention.

YThis arrangement makes the display device quite versatile, and

' plates 30 kdevice of Figs. 1-3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral I 0 denotes longitudinally-disposed bars which are spaced apart along the width of the display device, and which have their upper and lower ends defining two parallel lines. Transversely-disposed end frames I2 of U-shaped cross section, extend along and enclose the upper and lower ends of each of the bars IU; and those end frames closely t over and confine the upper and lower ends of the bars I D, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. Longitudinally-dispose'd side frame I 4, of' U-shaped cross section, are disposed at each side` of the display device, and those side frames fit over and enclose the outer edges of the outermost bars I 0. The abutting faces of side frames I5 and end frames I2 are mitered; thus they provide` neat fitting corners for the display device. The end frames I2 are secured to the ends of each of the longitudinally-disposed bars IIJ by flushheaded machine screws I6 or by screw eyes I8, and the side frames I4 are secured to the two outermost bars I0 by a number of flush-headed machine screws I6.

Each of the bars III is provided with a number of equally-spaced, transversely-extending dovetail slots 20; the slots 20 in each bar I0 being in register with the slots 20 in every other bar. The slots 2!! in the various bars Il) of the display device coact to consti-tute a number of discontinuous straight slots extending transversely of the display device. As shown particularly in Fig. 3, the bars I0 of the display device can have dovetail slots 2D in the front and rear faces thereof; it of course being obvious that if desired, the bars I0 of the display device can be made with dovetail slots in only one or the other of the faces thereof. The longitudinally-extending bars IIJ, the end frames I2 and the side frames Ill cooperate to provide a sturdy, light-weight supporting structure for the display device. In those instances where weight and material costs are not prominent factors, the supporting structure of the display device could be made by forming the dovetailed slots in a solid plate of metal.

The dovetail slots 20 in the bars I can releasably receive and hold confining elements 22; each of the confining elements 22 having a dovetailed foot 24, deep grooves 26 and shallow grooves 28.

The dovetailed feet 24 of the conning elements 22 are dimensioned to fit within and be held by the slots 26; the dovetailed feet 24 being capable of being separated from the slots 20 when desired. In the display device shown in the drawing, confining elements 22 are not disposed within all of the slots 20 in bars I0; the third, tenth, nineteenth and twentieth slots 20 in each bar Ill being empty.

The confronting grooves 26 of the confining elements 22 receive and hold thin backing plates 30; which plates overlie the bars I0 and the spaces therebetween. Several of those backing will be just .wide enough to span the distance between confronting grooves 26 in con- `iin'ing elements '22 which are set in immediately adjacent slots 2B. However, two of those backing plates 3G are twice that wide; one of those plates extending between the confronting grooves 2E in the coniining elements 22 which are set in the second and fourth slots 2li, and the other of those plates extending between the confronting grooves 25 in the confining elements 22 which are set in the ninth and eleventh slots 2t. Another of the backing plates 3B is three times the width of a normal backing plate that plate extending 'between lthe confronting grooves 26 in the confining elements 22 which are set 'in the eighteenth and twenty-third slots 2li.

The confronting grooves 28 of the conning elements 22 will receive and hold thin plates that either bear indicia or are left blank and serve as spacers. One such plate is denoted by the numeral 32; and that plate extends between the confronting grooves 28 of the confining elements 22 which are set in the first and second slots 2d. Imprinted on plate 32 is a statement designative of the information afforded by the display device; in this instance, the departure and arrival of passenger trains. If desired, the statement imprinted on the plate 32 could be imprinted directly on the backing plate 30 held by the grooves 26 in the confining elements 22 that are set in the first and second slots 20; in such a case the plate 32 would be unnecessary and could be dispensed with. A plate Sli extends between the confronting grooves 28 in the confining elements 22 that are set in the second and fourth slots; and imprinted on that plate is a statement which is a sub-heading of the statement on the plate 32.

In the case of plate 34, as in the case of plate t2, the indicia could be imprinted directly on the backing plates 30 and the plate 3d eliminated. A plate 3E extends between the confronting grooves 28 in the confining elements 22 that are set in the fourth and sixth slots 2G; but unlike plates 32 and 34, the plate St does not extend across the full width of the display device. Instead the plate 3%, and the backing plate Se for that plate, engage the left hand side frame i6 and extend across only a part of the width of the display device; the right hand edges of both of those plates abutting the left hand end of the confining element 22 set in the fifth slot 26, and the right hand edge of that backing plate abutting the left hand edges of the backing plates 38 which are held by the grooves 25 in the conning elements 22 that are set in the fourth and fth and the fifth and sixth slots 2? respectively. The right hand edge of the plate 36 will abut narrow plates 3E which vbear indicia thereon. These plates, and other plates 58 which either bear indicia or are left blank, extend into and are supported by the grooves 2S in the confining elements 22 that are set in the fourth and fifth and fth and sixth slots 2Q respectively.

The plates 38 are provided with cut-away corners lit, and those corners are preferably rounded to make the tops and bottoms of the plates 38 smoothly arcuate. Those corners it also are preferably made so the maximum straight-line distance in each plate 38 is its height and so every other straight-line surface distance, including diagonals, is less than or equal to that height. In addition, the corners lil are made so the length of each side of each of the plates 3S is greater than the distance betweenccnfronting edges of adjacent confining elements 22. With this arrangement, the connning elements 22 will overlie, confine, and conceal the tops and bottoms `of the plates 39 and 4will roverlie and conceal the cut-away corners 4U of those Plates 38, while permitting the plates 38 to be rotated from their longitudinally-disposed positions wherein they are held by the confining element 22 to inclined positions wherein the conning elements 22 do not overlie those plates. This enables the plates 38 to be inserted behind and held by the confining elements 22 without requiring those plates-to be moved adjacent the ends of the yconning elements 22, aligned with the grooves 2t in those elements, and then telescoped along within those grooves until they reach the desired position. Instead, the plates 3S can be rotated to an inclined position, as indicated in Fig. 2, pressed against backing plate 30, rotated into longitudinally-disposed position with their tops and bottoms within grooves 2t and underlying the connning elements 22, and then given a final adjust'- ment by moving them adjacent another plate 35.

In those instances where a considerable amount of information is to be provided in regard to the subject described by the indicia on plate 35, plates 553 will lie side by side and will extend from the right hand edge of plate 3% to the right hand side frame i-f-l. In those instances where a lesser amount of information is to be provided, one or more wide spacers t2 can be substituted for the plates 38. A number of these wide spacers are shown between the confining elements which are set in the fourth and nfth and the nfth and sixth slots 2d respectively.

A plate dil, similar tothe plate 3S, is held by the grooves Sii the confining elements 22 which are set in the sixth and eighth slots 2t. The plate l is narrower than the display device; and that plate and its backing plate 3e extend between the left hand side frame It and the left hand end of the confining element 22 which is set in the seventh slot 2t. Two backing plates 3B extend between the right hand edge of plate $4 and the right hand side frame la. Although no indicia-bearing and blank plates 33 are shown overlying those backing plates 33, such plates will be provided to indicate the scheduled departure of trains for the city of Detroit.

A backing plate Sil is held between the grooves -26 in the confining elements 22 that are held in the eighth and ninth slots 2Q. Overlying the left hand side of this particular backing plate 3d is a plate 5; which plate is held by the confronting grooves 23 of those particular confining elements 22. The right hand side of this particular backing plate Se is partially overlain by a number of blank plates 3o; but in practice a number of plates is with indicia thereon will be used.

A plate el extends between the grooves 25 in the conning elements 22 which are set in the ninth and eleventh slots 2t, and imprinted on that plate is a statement which is a sub-heading of the statement cn the plate 32. As in the cases of plates 32 and al, the information on plate il could be imprinted directly upon the backing plate 30 held by the confining elements 22 which are set in the ninth and eleventh slots 2li; and in such case the plate di' could be dispensed with.

Plates l and are held by the confronting grooves 23 in the conning elements 22 which are set in the eleventh and thirteenth and the thirteenth and nfteenth slots 2t. These plates are similar to the plates Sii and M; and the spaces between the right hand edges of plates S and 52 and the right hand side fram-e I4 are oc copied by conningelements 22 and backing plates Sii. Plates Stand spacers 42 being capable of being inserted between and held by those conning elements.

Backing plates 3u are disposed between the confronting slots 2E in theconning elements 22 which are set in the fifteenth and sixteenth, the sixteenth and seventeenth, and the seventeenth and eighteenth slots 2). A plate 52 overlies the left hand side of the backing plate 323 between the conning elements 22 which are set in the nfteenth and sixteenth slots 2t; and similar plates could be used to overlie the left hand sides of the other two backing plates 3G. Plates S8 and spacers tl? could also be held by the slots 28 in those conning elements 22.

A large plate Ell is held by the confronting grooves 28 in the coniining elements 22 Which are set in the eighteenth and twenty-third slots 2%. This large plate can be imprinted with additional information relating to the operation of the trains, or it can be imprinted with advertisingor other matter. Moreover, this plate could be eliminated and the desired information imprinted directly upon the backing plate Sil under the plate.

Separation of the plate 38 from the display device is easily effected by loosening the screws l that hold the right hand side frame ifi to the right hand bar is of the display device and then removing that side frame. Thereafter, three of the spacers 38 or one of the spacers l2 can be removed from between the confining elements 22 which hold the particular plate 3S to be removed, the rest of the plates 35 and spacers 132 can be shifted to the right to leave a space adjacent the designated spacer, and that plate can then be grasped and rotated until it assumes the inclined position shown in Fig. 2. At such time the plate 38 is not overlain by either of the retaining elements 22, and it can easily be removed directly from the display device. In this Way, any number of plates 38 can be assembled with or separated from the display device. Once the addition, removal, or substitution of the plates 38 has been eiiected, the three plates 38 or the spacer :l2 is replaced, and the right hand side Yframe Eil is again secured to the right hand bar IQ. lThe plates 36, li, 116, 48, Fill, and 52 are most` conveniently removed and replaced by removing the left hand side frame l. The conning elements 22 can be replaced by removing a side frame i4 and pulling the elements 22 out of the slots 2B.

The bars iii, end frames i2, side frames lll, confining Aelements 22, backing plates 3Q, and the various plates 32, S, 35, 33, t2, till, lill, el, 48, 58, 52, and 54 can be made of a number of different materials, but they are preferably made of aluminum. Moreover, the aluminum of which these various parts are made is preferably anodized. Where this is done, a light-weight, neat, and attractive display device is provided.

This display device can be used to display many different kinds of information, and that inforof the display device, it is desirable that the iny ner edges of those plates overlie a bar l0.

This

provides full backing for every part of the display device.

Whereas a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described in the drawing and accompanying description it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes can be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

l. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced confining elements and a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said confining elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said confining elements, said corners of said plates being diinensioned so said confining elements overlie and conceal said corners, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said conning elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said confining elements to free said selected plates from said confining elements.

2. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced confining elements and a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said confining elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said confining elements, said plates hav-ing arcuate tops and bottoms which are convex relative to the centers of' said plates to denne the said cut-away corners, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates .relative to said coniining elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said conning elements to free said selected plates from said conning elements.

3. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced confining elements and a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said conning elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said confining elements, said conning elements pro-Y viding confronting recesses therein, said plates being dimensioned so the height of each plate is greater than the distance between the bottom of the recess in one confining element and the edge of said other connning element and so every straight-line surface dimension of each of said plates is smaller than the distance between the bottoms of the recesses in said conning elements, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said conning elements but being separable from each other to permitV the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said confining elements to free said selected plates from said conning elements.

Il. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced confining elements and a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said coniining elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said coniing elements, said corners of said indicia-bearing plates being arcuate and being convex relative to the centers of said plates, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said conning elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said conning elements to free said selected plates from said confining elements.

5. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced confining elements and a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said confining elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said coniining elements, said corners of said indicia-'bearing plates being dimensioned so the height of each of said plates is the longest straight-line surface distance of said plate, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said conflning elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said conning elements to free said selected plates from said conning elements.

6. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced confining elements and a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said conning elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said conning elements, the tops and bottoms of said plates extending under and being overlaid, confined, and concealed by said conning elements, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said confining elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said conning elements to free said selected plates from said conflning elements.

7. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced conning elements and :a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said conning elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and from said confining elements, the corners of said plates being dimensioned so the length of the edge of each of said plates extending across the space between confronting coniining elements is greater than the distance between confronting edges of said conning elements, said plates normally :abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said confining elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said confining elements to free said selected plates from said conning elements.

8. A display device that comprises a plurality of spaced conning elements and -a plurality of indicia-bearing plates, said indicia-bearing plates having cut-away corners to permit rotation of said plates relative to :said conning elements While said plates are held by said conning elements, said indicia-bearing plates being dimensioned to engage and be held by said conning elements but also being adapted to be rotated relative to and freed from said confining elements, said plates normally abutting each other to prevent the rotation of any of said plates relative to said coniining elements but being separable from each other to permit the rotation of selected ones of said plates relative to said confining elements to free said selected plates from said conning elements.

ERWIN NIGG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 791,903 Hawkins June 6, 1905 

